Fishing boats commonly come equipped with secondary propulsion means that supplement the primary or main propulsion motor. The secondary propulsion means propels the boat more quietly and at a much lower speed than the noisy internal combustion main motor. The secondary propulsion means includes one or more submergible portions, which provide propulsive thrust, and mounting portions for mounting each submergible portion to the boat.
Typically the secondary propulsion means submergible portion includes an electric trolling motor, and the mounting portion includes a mounting bracket. The trolling motor depends from a vertical shaft which is coupled to the boat by the mounting bracket. The vertical shaft is supported by the mounting bracket in such a way that rotation of the shaft around its vertical or longitudinal axis is permitted.
A prior art speed and direction control for trolling motors commonly in use consists of a short horizontal steering bar coupled to the vertical shaft in such a manner that the steering bar extends inwardly towards the boat. Steering is accomplished by moving the steering bar from side to side causing the vertical shaft to rotate around its longitudinal axis and turn the trolling motor to change the direction of propulsive thrust. The speed control may be either on the motor or on the steering bar.
On fishing boats having pedestal mounted seats in the bow and stern areas, the steering bar is located inconveniently far away from the seats. In addition, the steering bar is most effectively operated by hand. Thus, the inconvenience becomes even greater because the fisherman is using both of his hands to cast and to reel as the boat is slowly propelled through the water. To steer the boat while fishing, the fisherman must stop casting and reeling, and lean over to the steering controls.
Another type of speed and direction control in the prior art allows control from a position that is remote from the trolling motor. The steering control consists of a foot pedal mounted on a fulcrum that enables the pedal to rock back and forth in a seesaw-like fashion, actuating cables to turn the trolling motor. The speed control is a small knob located on the side of the foot pedal which can be rotated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a speed and direction control system for a boat that may be operated without the use of the hands.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a speed and direction control system with controls that may be located on a boat in a position that makes operation convenient.
This continuation-in-part application is directed to further developments concerning boat control systems, which developments were not discussed in my original or parent application. In this application there are disclosed developments pertaining to a controller for use by a boat operator in controlling the speed and direction of a boat, a differential steering type mounting means for mounting two trolling motors to a boat such that the orientation of the trolling motors is varied to affect boat steering in response to the differential thrust outputs of the trolling motors, and a motorized steering type mounting means for mounting one or more trolling motors to a boat such that boat steering is affected by a motor means which rotates the trolling motor so as to vary the orientation of the trolling motor. FIGS. 13-27 of the drawings pertain particularly to the subject matter of this continuation-in-part application.